Tensions have escalated in Okpella, Edo State, as the Ukhomuyio Concerned Citizens launched a blistering attack on BUA Cement over what it described as a “deeply compromised and manipulated” scholarship list.
In a strongly worded statement released on Monday, the group accused the company of presiding over a selection process tainted by nepotism, favoritism, and outright disregard for the welfare of genuine Okpella students.
According to the group, more than 10 percent of the beneficiaries are directly or indirectly linked to the Sado family, raising serious concerns about undue influence and abuse of process. It further alleged that nearly half of those listed as undergraduate beneficiaries are already graduates, describing the development as “a calculated attempt to sideline deserving youths.”
The group also claimed that individuals with no academic prospects and even non-indigenes with no ties to Okpella made the list, calling it “an insult to a community battling economic hardship and restricted access to farmlands.”
“This is not just an error — it is a systemic injustice,” the statement declared. “BUA has effectively turned what should be a lifeline for struggling students into a tool for patronage and exclusion.”
Rejecting the list in its entirety, the group vowed to escalate the matter by petitioning BUA’s corporate headquarters and relevant anti-corruption and investigative agencies, insisting that those responsible must be held accountable.
The statement warned that the company risks eroding its social license to operate within the host community if urgent corrective steps are not taken.
“BUA must understand that corporate social responsibility is not a privilege to be abused. What has been presented is a betrayal of trust and a direct assault on the future of Okpella youths,” the group said.
Beyond the scholarship controversy, the group also accused certain actors of leveraging BUA’s platform to legitimize what it described as an illegal traditional leadership claim, citing a recent visit to the company’s Lagos office by Mr. Mike Sado despite a subsisting court judgment against him. “Mike Sado is legally and currently not the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella” the group emphasized.
Describing the situation as “a dangerous convergence of corporate complicity and local power imposition,” the group warned that continued association of Mike Sado with BUA could further inflame tensions in the community. A legal action would be needed against BUA to correct these anomalies.
The group called on Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, to uphold the rule of law and avoid any action that could be interpreted as backing controversial figures or processes.
It concluded with a stern warning that the people of Okpella would not accept what it termed “a coordinated attempt to marginalize their children and undermine their collective dignity.”
GATMASH NEWS
…News That Drives Impact
For advert placements and business inquiries, kindly reach us via:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Tel/WhatsApp: +234 (0) 807 202 2024
We value your voice! Share your stories, eyewitness reports, and contributions with us anytime:
📲 SMS/WhatsApp: +234 (0) 807 202 2024
📧 Email: [email protected]
Visit us online: https://gatmash.com/
